Halcyon residents dye Easter eggs

This past Sunday in Epworth Chapel, Erin Kaye of United Presbyterian Church led our Easter service. Erin read from scripture John 20 and the sermon was titled “Resurrection of Jesus.” It was a beautiful Sunday in Epworth Chapel.

Once a month, Arborwood residents participate in Share A Little, Learn A lot. April is National Sibling Month, therefore Arborwood residents reminisced about their siblings and their younger years over some hot chocolate, Wednesday, April 13. Residents shared stories regarding funny pranks they played on their brothers and sisters, we learned the names of everyone’s siblings, and where they grew up. It was a very meaningful afternoon for all of us.

Arborwood residents also got their hands messy this past Friday when they dyed Easter eggs with gel food coloring and whipped topping! It was just as fun to dye these eggs as it was to admire them afterward! The bright vibrant colors made a tie-dye pattern, each egg having its own unique design. It was difficult to choose a favorite because they were all so beautiful!

At the “Mystery Suitcase” program in Wedgewood, a couple of clues were shared in the morning to get everyone thinking about what could be inside this 100-year-old black metal suitcase. The first clue was “She wore a black dress that her mother had just made to get married in.” The second clue was “She moved around a lot with her family.”

The clues pertained to Laura Ingalls Wilder of the Little House books. Inside the suitcase were dolls Ma, Pa, Laura, Mary, Cary, Grace, and Nellie. There was a book about Rocky Ridge Farm in Mansfield, Missouri which was the chosen final hometown for Laura and her husband Almanzo. Chocolate candy bars and delicious mints were donated by one of the residents for an afternoon treat.

At “Thirsty Thursday,” a tray of fruit and cheeses, chocolates, and a beverage of their choice was a part of this social gathering. Prizes were passed out to those that have been walking the Appalachian Trail by exercising. For every minute they exercise it equals to 1 mile of hiking time. The prizes pertained to different stops and landmarks along this hiking trip. A bottle of water with a crystal light packet was for the Michaux Road, trail mix was for Mt. Katahdin (halfway point), a flashlight for Franconia Ridge, and a roll of toilet paper for the Massachusetts Overlook, and ice cream sandwiches for Harper’s Ferry.

Last week, residents in Sagewood gathered for “Take Your Sweet Time” Trivia and were each pleasantly surprised with a basket of Lindor Truffles gifted by a fellow resident — how SWEET! On Wednesday they enjoyed a competitive game of bingo. Thirsty Thursday was celebrated with homemade malts and a fruit and cheese tray provided by Circa 59. To end the week, Sagewood residents invited Wedgewood residents over to compete at “Brain Busters”, where they play different word games.

The week in Rosewood started with exercising and having a fun time listening to the song “Electric Slide!” Several team members got in on the special choreographed dance as well as residents. It was so much fun! With the Easter holiday approaching, we decided that we needed to do some traditional egg dying. We used whipped topping, gel food coloring and boiled eggs. It was all hands on deck as we had a full room of wonderful people dying the eggs and making a fun mess! The eggs turned out so pretty, and everyone had a great time!

All residents came down to Timmins on Tuesday to enjoy Billy Kline’s old time rock and roll concert! All of the residents were tapping their feet and singing along to Tuesday tunes. They’re already asking when he’ll be back to perform again! Thank you to Billy and the band for coming to Halcyon House! On Thursday, Independent Living residents gathered in Applewood Lounge for Share A Little, Learn A Lot for Sibling’s Month. Many brought down family pictures, childhood pictures, and brought stories to share. It was a great way for everyone to connect and learn more about their neighbors! It was a great week here at Halcyon House.

This week, we’d like to wish a happy birthday to Joann Love (4/18), Fran Victor (4/20), Jan Berdo (4/20), and Becky Patterson (4/23)!